Sophocles, Ajax, Robert Potter (Translator), 220

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Menelaus

How wou'dst thou vaunt,

If thou cou'dst bear a shield?

Ajax. Sophocles. Robert Potter (Translator). London. 1820.

Current edition Experimental

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) (English) (English (Robert Potter, 1788))

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (4)

Αἴας μαστιγοφόρος First1KGreek (Sophocles. Sophoclis Aiax. Lobeck Christian, editor. Berlin: Weidmann, 1866.) — 215-257 focus

ΤΕΚΜΗΣΣΑ

Πῶς δῆτα λέγω λόγον ἄῤῥητον;
215

215 θανάτῳ γὰρ ἴσον πάθος ἐκπεύσει.

μανίᾳ γὰρ ἁλοὺς ἧμιν ὁ κλεινὸς

νύκτερος Αἴας ἀπελωβήθη.

τοιαῦτ’ ἂν ἴδοις σκηνῆς ἔνδον

χειροδάικτα σφάγι’ αίμοβαφῆ,
220

220 κείνου χρηστήρια τἀνδρός.

str.

ΧΟΡΟΣ

1

Οἵαν ἐδήλωσας ἀνδρὸς

αἴθοπος ἀγγελίαν,

ἄτλατον οὐδὲ φευκτὰν,

τῶν μεγάλων Δαναῶν ὕπο κλῃζομέναν, 225
225

τὰν ὁ μέγας μῦθος ἀέξει.

Οἴ μοι, φοβοῦμαι τὸ προςἐρπον· περίφαντος ἀνὴρ

230 θανεῖται, παραπλήκτῳ χερὶ συγκατακτὰς

κελαινοῖς ξίφεσιν βοτὰ καὶ

βοτῆρας ἱππονώμους.
230

ΤΕΚΜΗΣΣΑ

ὦ μοι, κεῖθεν, κεῖθεν ἄρ’ ἡμῖν

δεσμῶτιν ἄγων ἤλυθε ποίμναν·

235 ὧν τὴν μὲν ἔσω σφάζ’ ἐπὶ γαίας,

τὰ δέ πλευροκοπῶν διχ’ ἀνερρήγνυ.

δύο δ’ ἀργίποδας κριοὺς ἀνελὼν
235

τοῦ μὲν κεφαλὴν καὶ γλῶσσαν ἄκραν

ῥιπτεῖ θερίσας, τὸν δ’ ὀρθὸν ἄνω

240 κίονι δήσας

μέγαν ίπποδέτην ῥυτῆρα λαβὼν

παίει λιγυρᾷ μάστιγι διπλῆ,
240

κακὰ δεννάζων ῥήμαθ’, ἃ δαίμων

κοὐδεὶς ἀνδρῶν ἐδίδαξεν.

ant.

ΧΟΡΟΣ

1

245 Ὥρα τιν’ ἤδη κάρα κα-

λύμμασι κρυψάμενον

ποδοῖν κλοπὰν ἀρέσθαι,
245

ἢ θοὸν εἰρεσίας ζυγὸν ἑζόμενον

250 ποντοπόρῳ ναὶ μεθεῖναι.

τοίας ἐρέσσουσιν ἀπειλὰς δικρατεῖς Ἀτρεῖδαι

καθ’ ἡμῶν· πεφόβημαι λιθόλευστον Ἄρη

255 ξυναλγεῖν μετά τοῦδε τυπεὶς,
250

τὸν αἶσ’ ἄπλατος ἴσχει.

ΤΕΚΜΗΣΣΑ

Οὐκ ἔτι· λαμπρᾶς γὰρ ἄτερ στεροπᾶς

ᾄξας ὀξὺς νότος ὣς, λήγει.

καὶ νῦν φρόνιμος νέον ἄλγος ἔχει.

260 τὸ γὰρ ὲςλεύσσειν οἰκεῖα πάθη,
255

μηδενὸς ἄλλου παραπράξαντος

μεγάλας ὀδύνας ὑποτείνει.

Αἴας First1KGreek (Sophocles. Sophoclis Fabulae. Pearson, Alfred Chilton, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1924.) — 214-262 focus

Τέκμησσα

πῶς δῆτα λέγω λόγον ἄρρητον;

θανάτῳ γὰρ ἴσον πάθος ἐκπεύσῃ.
215

μανίᾳ γὰρ ἁλοὺς ἡμὶν ὁ κλεινὸς

νύκτερος Αἴας ἀπελωβήθη.

τοιαῦτʼ ἂν ἴδοις σκηνῆς ἔνδον

χειροδάικτα σφάγιʼ αἱμοβαφῆ,

κείνου χρηστήρια τἀνδρός.
220

str.

Χορός

οἵαν ἐδήλωσας ἀνδρὸς αἴθονος

ἀγγελίαν ἄτλατον οὐδὲ φευκτάν,

τῶν μεγάλων Δαναῶν ὕπο κλῃζομέναν,
225

τὰν ὁ μέγας μῦθος ἀέξει.

οἴμοι φοβοῦμαι τὸ προσέρ-

πον. περίφαντος ἁνὴρ

θανεῖται, παραπλάκτῳ

χερὶ συγκατακτὰς
230

κελαινοῖς ξίφεσιν βοτὰ καὶ

βοτῆρας ἱππονώμας ποίμναν·

Τέκμησσα

ὤμοι· κεῖθεν κεῖθεν ἄρʼ ἡμῖν

δεσμῶτιν ἄγων ἤλυθε ποίμναν·

¹²³⁴⁵⁶⁷⁸⁹¹⁰¹¹¹²¹³¹⁴¹⁵

ὧν τὰ μὲν εἴσω σφάζʼ ἐπὶ γαίας,
235

τὰ δὲ πλευροκοπῶν δίχʼ ἀνερρήγνυ.

δύο δʼ ἀργίποδας κριοὺς ἀνελὼν

τοῦ μὲν κεφαλὴν καὶ γλῶσσαν ἄκραν

ῥιπτεῖ θερίσας, τὸν δʼ ὀρθὸν ἄνω

κίονι δήσας
240

μέγαν ἱπποδέτην ῥυτῆρα λαβὼν

παίει λιγυρᾷ μάστιγι διπλῇ,

κακὰ δεννάζων ῥήμαθʼ, ἃ δαίμων

κοὐδεὶς ἀνδρῶν ἐδίδαξεν.

ant.

Χορός

ὥρα τινʼ ἤδη κάρα καλύμμασι
245

κρυψάμενον ποδοῖν κλοπὰν ἀρέσθαι,

ἢ θοὸν εἰρεσίας ζυγὸν ἑζόμενον

ποντοπόρῳ ναῒ μεθεῖναι.
250

τοίας ἐρέσσουσιν ἀπει-

λὰς δικρατεῖς Ἀτρεῖδαι

καθʼ ἡμῶν· πεφόβημαι

λιθόλευστον Ἄρη

ξυναλγεῖν μετὰ τοῦδε τυπείς,
255

τὸν αἶσʼ ἄπλατος ἴσχει.

Τέκμησσα

οὐκέτι· λαμπρᾶς γὰρ ἄτερ στεροπᾶς

ᾄξας ὀξὺς νότος ὣς λήγει,

καὶ νῦν φρόνιμος νέον ἄλγος ἔχει·

τὸ γὰρ ἐσλεύσσειν οἰκεῖα πάθη,
260

μηδενὸς ἄλλου παραπράξαντος,

μεγάλας ὀδύνας ὑποτείνει.

Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 220 focus

κείνου χρηστήρια τἀνδρός.

220

Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 214-262 focus

Τέκμησσα

πῶς δῆτα λέγω λόγον ἄρρητον;

θανάτῳ γὰρ ἴσον βάρος ἐκπεύσει.
215

μανίᾳ γὰρ ἁλοὺς ἡμὶν ὁ κλεινὸς

νύκτερος Αἴας ἀπελωβήθη.

τοιαῦτʼ ἂν ἴδοις σκηνῆς ἔνδον

χειροδάϊκτα σφάγιʼ αἱμοβαφῆ,

κείνου χρηστήρια τἀνδρός.
220

221

Χορός

οἵαν ἐδήλωσας ἀνέρος αἴθονος

ἀγγελίαν ἄτλατον οὐδὲ φευκτάν,

τῶν μεγάλων Δαναῶν ὕπο κλῃζομέναν,
225

τὰν ὁ μέγας μῦθος ἀέξει.

οἴμοι φοβοῦμαι τὸ προσέρπον· περίφαντος ἁνὴρ

θανεῖται, παραπλάκτῳ χερὶ συγκατακτὰς
230

κελαινοῖς ξίφεσιν βοτὰ καὶ βοτῆρας ἱππονώμας.

233

Τέκμησσα

ὤμοι· κεῖθεν κεῖθεν ἄρʼ ἡμῖν

δεσμῶτιν ἄγων ἤλυθε ποίμνην·

ὧν τὴν μὲν ἔσω σφάζʼ ἐπὶ γαίας,
235

τὰ δὲ πλευροκοπῶν δίχʼ ἀνερρήγνυ.

δύο δʼ ἀργίποδας κριοὺς ἀνελὼν

τοῦ μὲν κεφαλὴν καὶ γλῶσσαν ἄκραν

ῥιπτεῖ θερίσας, τὸν δʼ ὀρθὸν ἄνω

κίονι δήσας
240

μέγαν ἱπποδέτην ῥυτῆρα λαβὼν

παίει λιγυρᾷ μάστιγι διπλῇ,

κακὰ δεννάζων ῥήμαθʼ, ἃ δαίμων

κοὐδεὶς ἀνδρῶν ἐδίδαξεν.

245

Χορός

ὥρα τινʼ ἤδη τοι κρᾶτα καλύμμασι
245

κρυψάμενον ποδοῖν κλοπὰν ἀρέσθαι

ἢ θοὸν εἰρεσίας ζυγὸν ἑζόμενον

ποντοπόρῳ ναῒ μεθεῖναι.
250

τοίας ἐρέσσουσιν ἀπειλὰς δικρατεῖς Ἀτρεῖδαι

καθʼ ἡμῶν· πεφόβημαι λιθόλευστον Ἄρη

ξυναλγεῖν μετὰ τοῦδε τυπείς, τὸν αἶσʼ ἄπλατος ἴσχει.
255

257

Τέκμησσα

οὐκέτι· λαμπρᾶς γὰρ ἄτερ στεροπῆς

ᾄξας ὀξὺς νότος ὣς λήγει,

καὶ νῦν φρόνιμος νέον ἄλγος ἔχει·

τὸ γὰρ ἐσλεύσσειν οἰκεῖα πάθη,
260

μηδενὸς ἄλλου παραπράξαντος,

μεγάλας ὀδύνας ὑποτείνει.

Translations (4)

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 220 focus

TEU

Guilt hiding guile wears often fairest front.

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 221 focus

Ha, welchen Ruf offenbarst du, Frau, von dem grimmigen Mann,

Ha, schrecklich, unentrinnbar!

Ruchtbar gemacht von den Fürsten des Danaerheers,
220

Mehrt ihn die stets wachsende Sage.

Bang ahn' ich, bang, was mir herannaht! Vor den Augen Aller

Erschlägt ihn auch die wahnsinnige Hand, die eben

Mit bluttriefendem Stahle die Heerden mordet' und die Hirten.

Tekmessa.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 220 focus

Chorus

I can but wish that wisdom may attend

To guide you both.

English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 214-260 focus

Tecmessa

Oh, how am I to tell a tale too terrible for words?

Grave as death is the suffering which you will hear. By madness our glorious Ajax was seized in the night, and he has been subjected to utter disgrace. All this you may see inside his dwelling—butchered victims bathed in blood,
215

sacrifices of no hand but his.
220

221

Chorus

What report of the fiery warrior have you revealed to us, unbearable, nor yet escapable—

a report which the great Danaans propound, which their powerful storytelling spreads! Ah, me, I shudder at the future’s advancing step. In public view the man will die
225

because the dark sword in his frenzied hand massacred the herds and the horse-guiding herdsmen.
230

231

Tecmessa

Ah! Then it was from there, from there that he came to me with his captive flock!

Of part, he cut the throats on the floor inside; some, striking their sides, he tore asunder. Then he caught up two white-footed rams and sheared off the head of one and its tongue-tip, and flung them away;
235

the other he bound upright to a pillar, and seizing a heavy strap from a horse’s harness he flogged it with a whistling, doubled lash, while he cursed it with awful imprecations which a god, and no mortal, had taught him.
240

245

Chorus

The time has come for each of us to veil his head and steal away on foot, or to sit and take on the swift yoke of rowing,
245

giving her way to the sea-faring ship. So angry are the threats which the brother-kings, the sons of Atreus, speed against us! I fear to share in bitter death beneath an onslaught of stones,
250

crushed at this man’s side, whom an untouchable fate holds in its grasp.
255

257

Tecmessa

It grips him no longer. For like a southerly wind after it has started up sharply without bright lightning he grows calm. And now in his right mind he has new pain.

To look on self-made suffering, when no other has had a hand in it—this induces sharp pains.
260

Commentary

Commentary (R. C. Jebb) (OCR draft) (Commentary (R. C. Jebb))

mvp-comment-659-1 τῷδε δ’ οἴχομαι ¹

Commentary (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) (Commentary (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) focus

1128. mvp-comment-725-1 τῷδε δ᾽ οἴχομαι] See above, l. 970, and note.

Sophocles Ajax 220

Robert Potter (Translator)

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Menelaus

How wou'dst thou vaunt,

If thou cou'dst bear a shield?

Current edition Experimental

TEU

Guilt hiding guile wears often fairest front.

Tekmessa.

Chorus

I can but wish that wisdom may attend

To guide you both.

Tecmessa

It grips him no longer. For like a southerly wind after it has started up sharply without bright lightning he grows calm. And now in his right mind he has new pain.

To look on self-made suffering, when no other has had a hand in it—this induces sharp pains.
260

Commentary

Stable identifiers

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Menelaus How wou'dst thou vaunt, If thou cou'dst bear a shield?

Current edition Experimental

TEU Guilt hiding guile wears often fairest front.

Tekmessa.

Chorus I can but wish that wisdom may attend To guide you both.

Tecmessa It grips him no longer. For like a southerly wind after it has started up sharply without bright lightning he grows calm. And now in his right mind he has new pain. To look on self-made suffering, when no other has had a hand in it—this induces sharp pains. 260

Commentary

Stable identifiers

Menelaus

How wou'dst thou vaunt,

If thou cou'dst bear a shield?

TEU

Guilt hiding guile wears often fairest front.

Chorus

I can but wish that wisdom may attend

To guide you both.

Tecmessa

It grips him no longer. For like a southerly wind after it has started up sharply without bright lightning he grows calm. And now in his right mind he has new pain.

To look on self-made suffering, when no other has had a hand in it—this induces sharp pains.
260